Welcome to Houchin Blood Bank
About Houchin Community Blood Bank
Houchin Community Blood Bank is a non-profit service organization. We are committed to being the sole provider of a safe, adequate blood supply from volunteer blood donors for the purpose of saving the lives of the residents of Kern County.
Houchin Community Blood Bank is the only blood bank in Kern County and supplies the blood for all of the hospitals throughout the county. We also provide blood to private cancer and blood disease treatment facilities, dialysis centers and home health agencies specializing in home transfusion medicine.
We have approximately 65 employees and two locations and a very active mobile blood drive program.
LOCATION and HOURS OF OPERATION:
5901 Truxtun Avenue (Corner of Truxtun and Truxtun Plaza)
Open: Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday and Friday: 9:00 am to 6:00 pm
Thursdays: 9:00 am to 8:00 pm
Saturdays: 9:00 am to 3:00 pm
2600 "G" Street (Corner of G and 26th Street)
Open: Monday, Wednesdays and Friday: 9:00 am to 6:00 pm
How your blood saves lives
Platelets are essential for blood clotting. They are routinely needed to support cancer therapy, open-heart surgery, blood disorders and organ transplants. Platelets must be transfused within five days, requiring the supply to be constantly replenished.
Red blood cells carry oxygen to all parts of the body. They are most needed after significant blood loss through trauma, surgery or anemia.
A red cell donation is typically transfused within 5 days, so the need for this component is ongoing. Blood type O- is the universal red blood cell donor.
Plasma is the liquid portion of the blood containing critical clotting factors. Plasma is used to treat patients with certain bleeding disorders and for plasma exchanges. Blood type AB is the universal plasma donor.
What your support does
When you donate to Houchin, your gift will be used to extend the blood bank’s outreach to the community. Due to a shortage of blood donors, Houchin needs to increase recruitment efforts for new donors and expand mobile services.
Your gift, whether large or small, is important to the blood bank's ability to serve our growing community and assure that the blood is there for anyone in need.
News and Events
The "Give It Up" High School Challenge
The high schools in Kern County challenge one another to compete for the honor of being the school with the most blood donors for the year. Not only is giving blood a wonderful community service, but schools also receive great prizes.
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